Even Alvaro Bautista had Toprak Razgatlioglu down for the Saturday WorldSNK race win at Mandalika, and the more-than-likely outgoing World Champion duly delivered, as he now looks at a potential hat-trick of wins to try and keep the World Championship alive.
The arithmetic is against him, even although he took all big 25 points on offer on Saturday, but as he has said a millions times, winning races is all that really matters, and the rest can take care of itself.
Toprak had race one well under control when he broke the following Rea, and even when Bautista would set a lap time at or slightly better than his. Until of course Toprak made a mistake and ran wide, losing a lot of his advantage.
“In corner seven, the rear was sliding,” explianed Razgatlioglu at the track. “I’m waiting for the rear not to come round. I open the gas and went wide. After, I remember Marc Marquez had a very big crash. In T6, I touched the dirty line.
“After I arrived corner 7 and had to close the gas. The rear was directly sliding. After that, I ride a little bit more calmly. Then I saw the gap again is open with Alvaro. Everybody just one strategy. Try to stay in the line, because the outside is zero grip.”
The most legendary heavy braker of his generation, Razgatlioglu seemed to not have the same issue straying off the very narrow clean line entering some corners at least.
“The passing is no problem, because some corners I know is good passing,” said Razgatlioglu. “But better you ride alone in front. I’m not enjoying that way of riding - I’m bored in the race because I ride alone - but I think tomorrow we will be fighting in the Superpole race. Today, in the early laps, I’m not pushing a lot because I keep a little bit the rear tyre, especially
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